Carpenter Falls, Carpenter Falls Unique Area, June 2023 Situated in a gorge just west of Skaneateles Lake, Carpenter Falls tumbles 90 feet in one drop, making this one of the more impressive waterfalls within an hour’s drive from both Syracuse and Ithaca, New York. A wooden boardwalk, which is wheelchair accessible, extends for 1/10 mile …
Continue reading Carpenter Falls Trail (Carpenter Falls Unique Area, NY)
Cholla Cactus Garden Nature Trail, Joshua Tree National Park, January 2022 Situated in the transition zone between the Mojave and Colorado Deserts, the Cholla Cactus Garden in southern California’s Joshua Tree National Park boasts one of the area’s most impressive stands of teddy bear cholla, a species of cactus known for its attractive look that …
Continue reading Cholla Cactus Garden Nature Trail (Joshua Tree National Park, CA)
Horseshoe Bend, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, May 2021 There once was a time when Horseshoe Bend—an entrenched meander along the Colorado River—was a relatively sleepy destination, known largely only to locals living in northern Arizona. But today, thanks to social media (and its high propensity for showing up as a Windows desktop background), the …
Continue reading Horseshoe Bend Trail (Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, AZ)
Angel's Window, Grand Canyon National Park, May 2021 Situated at the far southern fringe of the Walhalla Plateau along the North Rim, Cape Royal is one of Grand Canyon National Park’s finest viewpoints. From here the epic canyon unfolds to the south and east, revealing stunning colors, deep gorges, and towering buttes. An added bonus …
Continue reading Cape Royal & Angel’s Window (Grand Canyon National Park, AZ)
Lower Yosemite Falls, Yosemite National Park, April 2021 At 2,425 feet, Yosemite Falls is widely heralded as the tallest waterfall in North America* and an iconic destination in California’s Yosemite National Park. During its high-water season in spring, the roar of the two-tiered falls can be heard across Yosemite Valley, while hikers in close vicinity …
Continue reading Lower Yosemite Fall Trail (Yosemite National Park, CA)
Grimes Point Petroglyph Trail, Grimes Point Archaeological Area, September 2020 For travelers driving Nevada’s Highway 50—the “Loneliest Road in America”—Grimes Point is an excellent spot to get out and stretch your legs, taking advantage of a short trail to a fantastic set of ancient petroglyphs. Undoubtedly more vivid and more interesting than Hickison Petroglyphs, which …
Continue reading Grimes Point Petroglyph Trail (Grimes Point Archaeological Area, NV)
Hickison Petroglyphs Interpretive Trail, Hickison Petroglyphs Recreation Area, September 2020 Highway 50, which stretches for more than 400 miles across central Nevada, is called the “Loneliest Road in America” for a reason. Services and cell service are in limited supply as travelers skirt the desolate mountain ranges and sagebrush-studded valleys of the Great Basin region. …
Continue reading Hickison Petroglyphs Interpretive Trail (Hickison Petroglyphs Recreation Area)
Throughout much of San Francisco’s history, ships seeking to enter the Bay Area flirted with disaster: jagged rocks, shallow beds, dense fog, and nasty waves left hundreds of vessels in the 19th and 20th centuries capsized, torn apart, and buried at the ocean floor. As thousands of gold prospectors—from all over the world—flocked to San …
Continue reading Point Bonita Lighthouse Trail (Golden Gate National Recreation Area, CA)
At 284 feet, Fish Creek Falls is the second-highest waterfall in Colorado and is easily accessible from popular resort town Steamboat Springs. For visitors with an hour or less, a 0.8-mile loop provides a look at the falls from two different vantage points: a high overlook with views from a distance and a look up …
Continue reading Fish Creek Falls Loop (Routt National Forest, CO)
Sandwiched between two precipitous peaks, the Sun Notch Trail is a short and scenic circuit hike in Oregon’s Crater Lake National Park that features five fine views of Crater Lake in quick succession. From the caldera rim, situated atop a cliff that drops more than 1,000 feet, hikers can see Wizard Island, the Phantom Ship, …
Continue reading Sun Notch Trail (Crater Lake National Park, OR)
Live and Let Hike 